U.S. automaker Tesla has, over the years, been plagued by a reputation for less-than-perfect build quality: a simple Google search will produce a plethora of examples for you. Wonky brackets, poor paint, fender fitment fails — it’s a long list. The allegation below, though, if true, is far worse than some misaligned panels.
A complaint in a regional German court alleges that cracks were discovered on the undercarriage of a Model 3 during a routine tire change. The plaintiff says Tesla allegedly tried to hide these cracks with paint, Road & Track quotes German newspaper Bild, the type of cover-up one Twitter user points out has been levelled at the automaker before.
For neutrality’s sake, the court ordered an independent investigation into the spotty behaviour, and an investigator allegedly confirmed that the damage was so severe that the popular EV would fail Germany’s rigorous TÜV, the country’s general automobile safety inspection.
Where were the signs?
Well, here is a Tesla with a structural-looking crack in the A-pillar that seems to have been “repaired” with paint… so I guess the signs go back to at least 2017? https://t.co/QpO20uCNyf pic.twitter.com/6rthlX2gIM— E.W. Niedermeyer (@Tweetermeyer) July 20, 2022
Structural damage is almost always caused by a collision, but in this case, it hasn’t yet been confirmed whether this model was involved in such an incident. (Cue the internet sleuths!)
Doubling down, the same court is hearing a second case about a Tesla delivery that had scratched and damaged jacking points. Unsurprisingly, Tesla played the “cosmetic damage” card, but again, a court-ordered independent investigation unearthed damage, resulting in that new car, too, being bound to fail an inspection primarily designed to catch aging vehicle issues.
What’s the big deal about this? Well, aside from likely buybacks for the affected customers, if this legal action succeeds, other Tesla owners suffering through shoddy build quality will have a stronger case to make against the EV manufacturer if they similarly file complaints.
Keyword: Tesla accused of painting over structural crack, German court hears